ML19353A032
| ML19353A032 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/21/2020 |
| From: | Louise Lund NRC/RES/DE |
| To: | Anna Bradford NRC/NRR/DNRL |
| Eric Focht | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19353A029 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML19353A032 (3) | |
Text
May 21, 2020 MEMORANDUM TO:
Anna Bradford, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Louise Lund, Director /RA/
Division of Engineering Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF TECHNICAL LETTER REPORT ON ASSESSMENT OF ALUMINUM-BASED NEUTRON ABSORBER MATERIALS QUALIFICATION TESTING AND SURVEILLANCE MONITORING PROGRAMS
REFERENCES:
Memorandum to Brian Sheron from Eric Leeds, USER-NEED REQUEST TO DEVELOP THE TECHNICAL BASES FOR THE EVALUATION OF NEUTRON ABSORBING MATERIALS IN SPENT FUEL POOLS, March 20, 2013, ADAMS Accession No. ML13053A171 Memorandum to Eric Leeds from Brian Sheron, RESPONSE TO USER NEED REQUEST NRR-2013-005, REQUEST TO DEVELOP THE TECHNICAL BASES FOR THE EVALUATION OF NEUTRON ABSORBING MATERIALS IN SPENT FUEL POOLS, AND CLOSEOUT OF USER NEED REQUEST NRR-2010-15, REQUEST TO DEVELOP THE TECHNICAL BASES FOR THE EVALUATION OF NEUTRON ABSORBING MATERIALS IN SPENT FUEL POOLS, June 24, 2013, ADAMS Accession No. ML13151A071 I am forwarding for your review the technical letter report (TLR) by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Division of Engineering (RES/DE) entitled, Assessment of Aluminum-Based Neutron Absorber Materials Qualification Testing and Surveillance Monitoring Programs.
RES/DE performed the work reported in the TLR in support of the referenced user need request (UNR) NRR-2013-005. The purpose of this TLR is to provide the final report on the RES/DE effort to assess the materials qualification testing and surveillance programs for aluminum-based neutron absorber materials (NAMs). This TLR fulfills the milestones for Tasks 1.1a, 1.1c, 1.2a and 1.2b of UNR NRR-2013-005. RES/DE requests the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) to complete its review of the TLR within six weeks from the date of this memorandum. Upon completion of the review, RES will make the enclosed report publicly available in ADAMS.
CONTACT: Eric Focht RES/DE/CMB 301-415-2094
A. Bradford The enclosed TLR evaluates available materials qualification testing and surveillance program information to assess the adequacy of surveillance monitoring programs for managing aging/degradation of aluminum-based NAMs such as BORAL, Metamic and Boralcan that are used extensively in domestic nuclear power plant spent fuel pools (SFPs). BORAL, an aluminum cladded aluminum/boron carbide cermet composite, is utilized in about 60% of SFPs while Metamic and Boralcan are used in about 20% of the SFPs combined. In this report, the materials qualification programs conducted to demonstrate the adequacy of these materials are reviewed and assessed with respect to the potential degradation mechanisms operating in SFPs. Additionally, this TLR reviews and assesses surveillance monitoring programs, including operating experience, to determine if the degradation mechanisms to which the neutron absorber may be susceptible are managed effectively.
It was concluded that overall the surveillance programs are designed such that degradation of the aluminum-based NAMs will be monitored and managed effectively for the intended service life, but some enhancements could be made such as adding B-10 areal density measurements per NEI 16-03-A that are not included in some programs.
Operating experience and additional testing results indicate that BORAL, Metamic and Boralcan should perform their safety function for the service life of the SFPs provided that SFP water chemistry and temperature are maintained within the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) guidelines. Additionally, the review of operating experience did not reveal new degradation/aging mechanisms that might challenge the current regulatory position of the NRC regarding the use of aluminum-based NAMs in SFPs.
This research is the result of extensive collaboration between NRR and RES staff. We are particularly grateful to Alexander Chereskin and Matthew Yoder for their technical and programmatic contributions. If you have questions or comments, please contact me or Eric Focht at (301) 415-2094.
RES has established an online quality survey to collect feedback from user offices on the usefulness of RES products and services. This survey can be found online at the hyperlink:
RES Quality Survey. I would appreciate the responsible manager completing this short survey within 10 working days to present your offices views of the delivered RES product. If you cannot provide a rating of Exceptional in all areas of the survey, please reach out to the RES/DE contact person prior to the completion of the survey and allow us the opportunity to address your concern.
Enclosure:
Technical Letter Report, Assessment of Aluminum-Based Neutron Absorber Materials Qualification Testing and Surveillance Monitoring Programs.
A. Bradford
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF TECHNICAL LETTER REPORT ON ASSESSMENT OF ALUMINUM-BASED NEUTRON ABSORBER MATERIALS QUALIFICATION TESTING AND SURVEILLANCE MONITORING PROGRAMS DISTRIBUTION:
S. Bloom, NRR M. Yoder, NRR A. Chereskin, NRR E. Focht, RES I. Frankl, RES ADAMS Package Accession No.: ML19353A029 OFFICE RES/DE/CMB BC:RES/DE/CMB D:RES/DE NAME E. Focht I. Frankl L. Lund DATE 5/14/2020 5/14/2020 05/21/2020 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY